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Ramped up Attacks Against Trump; The Democratic Race, Melania Trump Says She Doesn't Try to Change Her Husband; Testimony in Erin Andrews Case Continues Today. Aired 9:30-10a ET

Aired March 01, 2016 - 09:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


[09:30:00] CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: His opponents are throwing everything but the kitchen sink at him. Ted Cruz hinting at mafia ties and even hitting Trump on immigration, charging Trump backpedaled in an off the record interview with "The New York Times." Trump hit back on Fox News.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Things are negotiable. I'll be honest with you, you know, I'll make the wall two feet shorter or something. I mean everything is negotiable.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's not negotiable about building it.

TRUMP: I actually said -- I -- no, building it, not negotiable.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's not.

TRUMP: We have some good people over here and they're going to go out but we will work out some system that's fair, but we either have a country or we don't. We need a border. We need a wall.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: All right, with me now, CNN senior political analyst and former presidential adviser David Gergen.

David, welcome.

DAVID GERGEN, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Thank you, Carol.

COSTELLO: So does any of that matter to Trump supporters?

GERGEN: Not at the moment. And this is a very, very odd day. Here is Donald Trump poised for a massive victory. Twelve states are going to be voting today. He's certain to win about eight of those. He may win even ten. And yet at the same time that sound you hear is the quaking of Republican strategists and insiders who are so worried now that the Democrats are about to unload an avalanche of garbage on Trump. That they've got all this stuff that they've dug up over time about his business deals, things he said about women, and that that's just going to be coming down on him and it will make him unelectable. So at the very moment when Trump is about to grab the crown, they're -- they say, oh please, God, do we really have to do this? COSTELLO: Well, nearly every poll shows Hillary Clinton beating Donald

Trump in a general election.

GERGEN: Absolutely.

COSTELLO: So I can see why they're quaking, right?

GERGEN: Absolutely.

COSTELLO: But Donald Trump leads in pretty much every category. These are the inside numbers from a CNN/ORC poll. Donald Trump dominates among Republican GOP leaders who are college graduates. Trump is dominating among suburban Republicans. Trump dominates among Republicans who make $50,000 or more. Trump is dominating among Republicans who are under 55.

GERGEN: Absolutely.

COSTELLO: So --

GERGEN: Every group. Every group. And that's why the Clintons are privately telling their friends, listen, don't be complacent about this. We may be ahead now. It's going to be a tight race. Donald Trump was nowhere when he declared. Nobody ever thought he'd come this far, obviously. So he -- the man has been able to figure out how to create momentum for himself among Republicans. If he can bring over a lot of crossover Democrats, a lot of lynch bucket Democrats what we used to call Reagan Democrats, he could be a substantial threat. I mean Hillary would be favored in any conventional race, but we all know this is the least conventional race of our lifetimes.

COSTELLO: Yes, and I know and many pundits have been wrong, but not you, David. Not you.

GERGEN: (INAUDIBLE).

COSTELLO: The second tier candidates, they're far behind Donald Trump.

GERGEN: Yes.

COSTELLO: Like Donald Trump leads, what, 49 percent to Marco Rubio's 16 percent.

GERGEN: Right.

COSTELLO: So, if Marco Rubio -- and he -- he doesn't really expect to win any of the Super Tuesday states, right?

GERGEN: Right.

COSTELLO: But he expects to win Florida. And, like, that is just seems like such a weird strategy to me.

GERGEN: It is a weird strategy. I mean he could come out of this zero and 16 for the first 16 races, right, but he wants to hang in there. There's got on some pride on his part, I really need to prove I can take my home state. I don't want to go out without winning my home state.

Look at Ted Cruz. He -- you know, he manned up and went to Texas and it looks like he's going to win it. So I would think that, on the other hand, he doesn't want to be humiliated in his home state either. The best outcome for Donald Trump is to keep Rubio and Cruz in the race. So it's not a bad thing for Trump if Cruz wins Texas because it will encourage Trump -- Cruz to go on, to stay in there. And it's not a bad thing if Rubio comes in second in a massive number of states. No -- no victory but a large number of states. That will encourage him to go on. Keep the race fluid. Keep a lot of players in there. Trump keeps winning, grabs the nomination and then he'll have to figure out, how is he going to handle these Democrats. They're coming after him. They're going to be coming after him.

COSTELLO: OK, they're going to be -- they're going to be -- so what will the convention look like? Because it appears, by every -- it appears Trump's just going to -- to win the nomination.

GERGEN: Well --

COSTELLO: So what happens at the Republican convention in Cleveland?

GERGEN: I don't know. Get your tickets early because there's -- there's going to be an effort to unravel this. There's going to be an effort to take him down. There's going to be a sense -- you know, the fear among a lot of Republican strategists is between now and the convention they'll make him unelectable and then how do they take the nomination away from him at the -- at the convention.

COSTELLO: And who do they give it to?

GERGEN: Well, they --

COSTELLO: Rubio?

GERGEN: That --

COSTELLO: Who can't win any Super Tuesday states?

GERGEN: Well, that's -- right. But then they -- I don't know. I don't know where they would go. They might go to Romney. Who knows before this is over.

COSTELLO: You know, a good friend of mine bet on that from the get-go. He said, mark my words, it will be Mitt Romney. I don't care if he's not in the race now.

GERGEN: It could -- it could be. I'm -- you know, you wonder. It's been really interesting with Romney. He's been hitting Trump. We all thought he was going to endorse Rubio. You know, we had all this story. Where is the endorsement?

COSTELLO: Ah. OK. So, Roger, I congratulate you. You might be right on Mitt Romney. You heard it from David Gergen.

Thanks so much for stopping by. [09:34:57] Still to come in the NEWSROOM, battleground, Massachusetts.

We're still waiting for Bill Clinton and the mayor of Boston to show up at this polling station. But as Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders fight it out, some Democratic voters in Massachusetts may not be listening. We'll tell you why so many are dumping the Democratic label, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: All right, I want to bring you live to Boston, Massachusetts, and the West Roxbury neighborhood. Oh, you can see Bill Clinton there. He is greeting voters. Right behind him is Boston's mayor, Marty Walsh. But Bill Clinton, as you can see, is getting all the attention at this polling station.

I want to bring in Donna Brazile, a Democratic strategist and CNN political analyst, and also Bill Press, host of "The Bill Press Show," author of "Buyer's Remorse: How Obama Let Progressives Down."

So, Donna, we'll let's go back to that picture because the picture's --

BILL PRESS, HOST, "THE BILL PRESS SHOW": Hi, Carol.

COSTELLO: Hi, Bill. Hi, Donna.

I want to go back to the picture outside of the polling station in West Roxbury. Bill Clinton is an absolute rock star in Massachusetts, Donna, right?

[09:39:58] DONNA BRAZILE, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Oh, absolutely. Not only do they know him, they remember him fondly as the president who not just turned the economy around, but created over 20 million new jobs. So this is a, I'm sure, a wonderful homecoming for President Clinton to go and visit Massachusetts.

COSTELLO: Yes, and -- of course, Hillary Clinton is not in the state. She's campaigning elsewhere this morning, Bill. But, Bill, Hillary Clinton is leading Bernie Sanders in Massachusetts. But Bernie Sanders says, hey, don't believe the polls, I have a chance. Does he?

PRESS: Absolutely. In fact, I think that's significant. By the way, I agree with Donna, Bill Clinton's a rock star, not just in Massachusetts. He's a rock star worldwide. Everywhere he goes. So I think it's significant that he's in Massachusetts today and not in Arkansas, for example, because Massachusetts is one state that's really in play. Bernie Sanders is a -- almost a neighbor. In fact, so is Hillary Clinton. And Bernie Sanders has a big ground campaign in Massachusetts. So does Hillary. It's a hard fought state. The polls are very close. And I think the Clinton campaign really want this. That's why they sent Bill there today. Good move on their part.

COSTELLO: Yes. There is an interesting phenomenon going on in Massachusetts -- in the state of Massachusetts and I'm going to read this off my script because I want to get the numbers right. So as voters head to the polls today, some 16,000 of them have shed their party affiliation and will now be identified as independents. Another 3,500 vote those voters will vote as Republican and state officials say those 3,500 all used to be Democrats. So, Donna, what do you make of that?

BRAZILE: Well, look, in a state where 2.2 million voters are unaffiliated, 1.5 million are Democrats, 470,000 Republicans as of 2014, I'm not surprised if 3,000 to 4,000 might decide to go unaffiliated or go as Republicans. That's -- that's their choice. They have an opportunity to participate in the election today. I hope they vote. I hope they turn out. Massachusetts has some of the best laws when it comes to voter participation and voter enforcement. So good luck to them. Maybe they're Trump Democrats. We don't know. We'll see what happens later today.

COSTELLO: Well, state officials attribute this to the Trump phenomenon, Bill. They say that's why so many voters are turning independent. Do you buy that?

PRESS: First of all, this has been going on for a long time. You know, the latest poll that I showed nationwide, 43 percent of Americans now register as independent compared to 30 percent Democratic and 26 percent Republican. So I think there's a growing appeal to independent voters nationwide. I mean they can go where the fun is, right? I like that idea. They can go where the excitement is. And you have to say this year the excitement has been pretty rough and tumble on the Republican side.

So, you know, I understand where -- where that -- where that's going. It's a small percentage of the Democratic base. But what I find more disturbing is that the turnout so far in the primaries has been record high in the -- on the Republican side and lower, a lot lower than 2008 on the Democratic side. That's not a good sign for November unless Democrats turn that around.

BRAZILE: I agree.

COSTELLO: But what about this theory. I know that Democratic turnout has been lower but don't most Democrats assume the nominee is going to be Hillary Clinton and maybe they'll be jazzed in a general election more than they are in a primary?

BRAZILE: Well, we measure the turnout compared to 2008, which was a very historic election season. Some people are disappointed that the turnout is very low. But when you look at statewide registrations across the country and the people who are signing up to vote this year, a lot of them are millennials. And so I'm encouraged by that.

But if you compare this turnout to a year like say 2004 or even the year I ran a campaign, 2000, it's pretty much average. So we cannot constantly measure everything compared to 2008 on the Democratic side. But I have to admit, and I agree with you, Bill, that the Republicans are having a banner year in terms of voter participation thus far.

PRESS: Yes, and, Carol, I've just got to say -- Carol, I've just got to say, look, don't tell the Bernie Sanders people, like me, right, that this is all over. I mean certainly Hillary has a lot of advantages --

BRAZILE: No, it's not over, Bill.

PRESS: But this is a long haul and both candidates are going to get -- pick up delegates today.

BRAZILE: Correct.

PRESS: And Bernie Sanders just raised $42 million in February. This camp -- this primary's going to go on. It's far from over.

BRAZILE: Absolutely.

COSTELLO: That's right, he has raised a lot of money, including yesterday when he raised $6 million in one day. So we'll see what --

PRESS: One day, right.

COSTELLO: Yes. We'll see what happens. Donna Brazile, Bill Press, thanks to both of you.

PRESS: All right.

COSTELLO: Still to come in the NEWSROOM, we hear a lot from Donald Trump, but what about his wife?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MELANIA TRUMP, DONALD TURMP'S WIFE: I don't try to change him. He's an adult. He knows the consequences. And so I let him be who he is. I give him my opinions many, many times.

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST, "AC360": You do?

M. TRUMP: Yes.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:49:15] COSTELLO: Donald Trump's campaign is filled with rather colorful language and his wife does not approve. Our Anderson Cooper asked Melania Trump what she thinks about the campaign and if she's trying to change her husband.

(BEGIN VIDEOCLIP)

COOPER: What do you think of the campaign so far? I mean, in the last couple of days there's been all of these fights between now Rubio saying all of these things about your husband. What do you think of the tone of it?

M. TRUMP: I think it's more a desperate tone because, you know, my husband is leading in the polls, so he wants to attack in very low manner way. So, and it's kind of -- we expected that, and...

COOPER: You expected it?

M. TRUMP: Yes. I have a thick skin.

COOPER: It doesn't bother you?

M. TRUMP: It doesn't bother me, and it's very nasty, but I have a thick skin. I can handle it.

[09:50:08] COOPER: You know, your - your husband has been criticized for - for -- sometimes for his tone on the campaign trail. One of the things he said to me is that as president, you know, campaigning is one thing, as president he would have a different tone if he was actually in the White House. Do you think he can have a different tone? Is there another side to him?

M. TRUMP: Yes, yes, he can have a different tone, really can have a different tone, because to build the empire and the business that he built, you cannot always use that kind of a tone, and he can really change. I know he - and he could really change the words and the tone, and - but, you know, he is who he is, and you could see he's following, and people agree with him because they're tired of Washington and politicians in Washington. They don't do much, and he's a doer. He does things, and he's not just talking it. He will have things done for the states, for the America, for American people.

COOPER: You watch a lot of news, I know.

M. TRUMP: Yes.

COOPER: And he watches a lot of news, too.

M. TRUMP: Yes.

COOPER: And he's tweeting. Do you even get bothered at how much - I mean, he must be up late at night tweeting, watching television. Do you get bothered by that?

M. TRUMP: I don't get bothered by that. We are both very independent and let him be who he is and he let me be who I am. And, you know...

COOPER: You don't try to change him?

M. TRUMP: I don't try to change him. He's an adult. He knows the consequences. And so I let him be who he is. I give him my opinions many, many times.

COOPER: You do?

M. TRUMP: Yes. And I don't agree with everything that he says, but, you know, that's his normal. I'm my own person. I tell him what I think. I'm standing very strong on the ground on my two feet, and I'm my own person and I think that's very important in the relationship.

COOPER: Do you -- can you say something where you disagree with him on?

M. TRUMP: Oh, many things. Some language, of course.

COOPER: Language?

M. TRUMP: Yes, some language I didn't go...

COOPER: Language you hear him using on the campaign?

M. TRUMP: Especially I was in New Hampshire when the woman was shouting out the inappropriate word.

COOPER: Right.

M. TRUMP: And I was there, and I'm thinking, like, don't repeat it in my head, just for him, don't repeat it. Just don't say it because the next day media all day will talk is about that, but he repeated. He's with the momentum, he goes with the flow, he goes with the people. They're having fun, everybody were cheering, and you know, he said it, and the next day -- but he repeated the word. That was not his word.

COOPER: Right.

M. TRUMP: So...

COOPER: So, he heard from you about that?

M. TRUMP: Yes, I told him that, yes, and, you know, he did it. As I said, he's an adult.

(END VIDEOCLIP)

COSTELLO: Mrs. Trump also said Trump is not a racist. He's not anti- immigrant, but he wants to keep America safe. And in case you're wondering where that interview took place, it was inside the Trump's penthouse here in New York City.

(BEGIN VIDEOCLIP)

COSTELLO (voice-over): Still to come in the NEWSROOM, an emotional day on the stand for Erin Andrews, talking about her stalker's video.

ERIN ANDREWS, JOURNALIST: All I wanted to do was be the girl next door who loves sports and now I'm the girl with this hotel scandal.

(END VIDEOCLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:57:16] COSTELLO (on camera): Erin Andrews back in court today after breaking down on the stand at her $75 million hotel stalker trial.

(BEGIN VIDEOCLIP)

COSTELLO (voice-over): Through her tears the sports caster described frantically screaming on the phone to her family the moment she discovered a man had posted nude videos of her online. Andrews is suing the National Marriott for telling her stalker what room she was staying in, information he used to make secret recordings of her through a peephole.

CNN's Polo Sandoval is covering this for us this morning.

(END VIDEOCLIP)

COSTELLO (on camera): Good morning.

POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Carol, good morning. We expect more of that tearful testimony to come later today. But first, a look back at yesterday as Erin Andrews faced a jury and told them that her life hasn't been the same since that video surfaced.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANDREWS: It's so embarrassing. It was my private time. I never thought this could happen.

SANDOVAL (voice-over): This morning, sportscaster Erin Andrews' $75 million civil trial against the National Marriott continues. The reporter for Fox Sports sobbing in court Monday, she described her distress over a nude video taken by a stalker in 2008 and then posted online.

ANDREWS: All I wanted to do was be the girl next door that loves sports and now I'm the girl with the hotel scandal. It's embarrassing.

SANDOVAL: Andrews contends the hotel was negligent and revealing to her stalker, Michael David Barrett, that she was a guest, giving him her room number and then giving him a room next door. He recorded her undressing through a peephole.

ANDREWS: I was so angry. This could have been stopped. The National Marriott could have just called me and said we're putting this man that requested to be next to you, is this okay? And I would have called the cops.

SANDOVAL: Andrews shedding more tears as she recalled how the videos were viewed by some as a publicity stunt.

ANDREWS: (inaudible) to the "New York Post" and ESPN scandal, Fox News and CBS, everybody put up that I was doing it for publicity and attention. And that ripped me apart.

SANDOVAL: Barrett was convicted in 2010 and spent over two years in prison. Still, Andrews says, the damage has been done and now the hotel has to pay.

ANDREWS: We can't get it down, and that's all I was so worried about was, like, we got to get it off, we got to get it off. And like, we're never going to get it off.

(END VIDEOTAPE) SANDOVAL (on camera): And again, we do expect that testimony to

continue here in just a few moments. Now, as for the hotel management group that is the subject of this lawsuit, they have responded, their attorney saying that they place the blame squarely on Michael Barrett, saying that he was manipulative, Carol, and that he actually influenced the staff to try to get him that information that he need.

Back to you.

COSTELLO: All right. Polo Sandoval reporting live for us. The next hour of CNN NEWSROOM starts now.

(BEGIN VIDEOCLIP)

COSTELLO (voice-over): Happening now in the NEWSROOM, today is the day.